Health Benefits Of Guava

If you have a natural liking for guavas or if your dietician or doctor has prescribed this seasonal fruit to you, then you should feel lucky! This mouthwatering treat comes with immense health benefits. Being rich in dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, copper and manganese, they are often included among superfruits. Guava fruit, usually 5 to 10 cm (2-4 inches) long, are round or pear shaped depending on the variety. It bears a green, yellow or maroon cover while the inside of the fruit features the white ("white" guavas) or pink ("red" guavas) fleshy part containing many small, hard seeds. There are many varieties of guava that are grown for their fruit, including Psidium guajava (apple guava), Psidium cattleianum (strawberry guava), and Psidium friedrichstahlium. The most frequently encountered variety, and the one often simply referred to as the guava, is the Apple Guava. Guava with its sweet smell can be taken raw or you can even enjoy guava jams and jellies with fresh bread slices! Whatever might be the mode of intake, guava, being a storehouse of nutrients, would provide many health benefits.

Here are the health conditions which are targeted by the nutrients present in guava:

Cancer Prevention: Guava is an excellent source of the cancer-fighting

antioxidant, lycopene. Lycopene in guava is more easily absorbed by our body than lycopene from tomato becuase of the difference in the cell structure that allows the antioxidant to be absorbed whether the fruit is raw or cooked. Lycopene consumption is associated with significantly lower rates of prostate cancer, and it has also been found to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Lycopene promotes good health by acting against the influence of free radicals, which can damage cells and can contribute to developing cancer and coronary heart disease. All varieties of guava are loaded with antioxidants but the one with the red flesh type contains more than the white-fleshed apple guava.

High Blood Pressure: Guava, being hypoglycemic in nature (if taken

without skin) and fiber rich, helps in decreasing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This makes guavas highly beneficial for those at risk for heart disease and hypertension. Also, a medium guava (165 gm) provides you with 20 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) for potassium. Studies have shown that people who consume more potassium have lower blood pressures than those who consume less.

Diarrhea: Guava

has proved to be beneficial to individuals suffering from Diarrhea. Guava has astringents (chemical compound that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, for example compounds those make your gums feel tighter and fresh after you eat a raw guava), which are helpful in binding up loose stools during the conditions of diarrhea. These alkaline compounds display antibacterial properties and have the ability to prevent microbial growth during dysentery. Other disinfectants present in guava include Carotenoids, Vitamin C and Potassium. These properties and ingredients of guava also support healing in cases of gastroenteritis.

Cough and Cold: The decoction of guava leaves or the juices of raw or
immature guavas bring relief to individuals suffering from cough and cold. This can be attributed to the astringent properties of guava juice. The juice works by loosening the cough, decreasing mucus and by making the respiratory tract, throat and lungs infection-free. Guava is also rich in vitamin C and iron, which provide protections against cold and viral infections.

Skin Care: The

astringents of guava enhance the skin texture and tighten loosened skin. In fact, guava works more effectively than any other skin nourishing lotions in the market. Decoction of immature leaves and fruits can be applied on the skin for tightening and toning purposes. Additionally, guava has high contents of vitamin A, vitamin C and Potassium, which are characterized by their antioxidant functions. These nutrients carry out detoxification processes and keep the skin healthy and wrinkle-free.

Constipation: High amount of dietary fiber present in guava helps prevent

constipation. A medium guava provides you with 36 percent of the recommended daily value for dietary fiber. Also, the seeds of guava are very effective laxatives. Both these attributes help in the formation of bowels and the cleaning up of the excretory system.

Diabetes: According to a study conducted on rats, both the guava fruit and its
leaves can help diabetic patients by lowering their blood glucose levels. However, if consumed along with its skin, it can be bad for your blood sugar. According to the research published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research and conducted by researchers at the Medicinal Research Laboratory of the University of Allahabad, blood sugar levels in rats injected with guava peel extract rose by 91% in subdiabetic rats within two hours of administration and by 27% in normal rats after eight hours of administration. So, the best way to consume a guava for diabetics is to peel off its skin.

Weight Loss: Guava forms an essential component of a weight loss diet.

Guava is rich in fiber, proteins and vitamins and this implies that individuals looking to lose weight would not have to compromise on their intake of these nutrients! Guava with no cholesterol and low carbohydrates, can still offer a feeling of fullness. A medium sized guava for lunch is enough to supply nutrition till dinner. Again, guava can help thin people gain weight. This can be attributed to its nutrients which aid in the better absorption process of the body.

Scurvy: The Vitamin C content of a common guava (apple guava) is about four
times than what we find in an orange. Thus, guavas are effective remedies for scurvy, which is characterized by swollen and bleeding gums due to deficiency of Vitamin C.

Dental Care: The juice of the guava leaves containing astringents and vitamins
is a remedy for toothaches, swollen gums and ulcers of the mouth.

Diarrhea & Dysentery: Guava is very rich in astringents (compounds those make your
gums feel tighter and fresh after you chew guava leaves or eat a raw guava or use some toothpaste) which binds up loose bowels in diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, thus help cure dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines. Further, other nutrients in guava, such as vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium strengthens and tones up the digestive system and disinfect it.

Constipation: Guava is one of the riches sources of dietary fiber. Its seeds, if ingested whole
or chewed, serve as excellent laxatives. These two properties of guava help forming bowels, retaining water and clean your intestines and excretory system thoroughly. It is said that single constipation can lead to seventy two types of ailments. It is absolutely true. Every way to your total health goes through proper digestion and more importantly, proper excretion. Guava ensures both of these.

Cough & Cold: Juice of raw and immature guavas or decoction of guava-leaves is very
helpful in giving relief in cough and cold by loosening cough, reducing mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract, throat and lungs and inhibiting microbial activity due to its astringent properties. Guava is one of richest in vitamin-C and iron which are proven to be preventive against cold and viral infections. In some areas in India, roasted ripe guava is used as a remedy against extreme cases of cough and cold and congestion.

Skin Care: Guavas can help improve your skin texture and avoid skin problems more than the
best of beauty creams or skin toner gels can do. This is chiefly due to the abundance of astringents in its fruits (more in immature ones) and in leaves. You can benefit from it either by eating the fruits (this help tighten your muscles apart from your skin) or by washing your skin with the decoction of its immature fruits and leaves. It will tone up and tighten the loosened skin. In addition to the astringents, guava is very-very rich in vitamin-A, B, C and potassium which are very good anti oxidants and detoxifiers and keep your skin glowing and free from aging, wrinkles and other disorders.

Weight Loss: Guava is very helpful for those who want to lose weight without compromising
with their intake of proteins, vitamins and fiber. Guava, being very high in roughage and very rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals, but with no cholesterol and less digestible carbohydrates, is very filling and satisfies appetite very easily. Just have a medium sized guava in the lunch and you will

not feel hungry till night. But ironically, it helps gaining weight in lean and thin people. This is probably due to its richness in nutrients, which keeps your metabolism right helping proper absorption of nutrients.

Scurvy: Guava can outdo many other fruits, including orange and other citrus fruits, when it
comes to concentration of vitamin-C, whose deficiency causes scurvy and which is the only remedy to it. It contains five times the vitamin-C in oranges. Other Benefits: Where to begin? Shall I start with the fact that guava helps control diabetes, protects prostrate, its Lypocene reduces the risk of cancer, the juice of the leaves cures toothache, swollen gums & oral ulcers, heals wounds when applied externally, convulsions, epilepsy, bacterial infections and so on and so forth

The nutritional properties of the Guava fruit:

The fruit is one of the richest source of vitamin C (212 mg/100 g fruit). The quantity of

vitamin C increases with the maturity of fruit

The fruit contains fairly large quantities of useful minerals like phosphorus (20-30

mg/100 g fruit) and calcium ( 20-210 mg/100 g fruit ) depending on the variety
The seeds of guava fruits are very rich in an orange-yellow colored aromatic oil (14%)

that contains considerable amounts of iodine

Some of varieties produce fruits rich in potassium and carotene while others lack these

useful constituents.

The medicinal properties of the Guava fruit:

1. Guava leaves and bark are used traditionally as a disinfectant and antiseptic for dressing wounds and sores

2. A decoction of Guava leaves is used for relieving tooth-ache and gum boils when used for gargling.
3. The flowers of Guava are used for treating bronchitis 4. The Guava fresh leaf extract (decoction) is used to treat digestive disorders like diarrhoea and vomiting 5. Application of powdered leaves is believed to have soothing effect in rheumatic pains. 6. The fruit helps reduce high blood pressure. 7. It is also considered to increase the good cholesterol.

8. The guava leaf extract is also effective in treating gastrointestinal due to the presence of quercetin and other flavonoids. 9. The bark extract protects the heart and improve its functionality. 10. It is also used to treat acne and painful menses. 11. Guava bark is used medically as an astringent and to treat diarrhea in children, 12. The flowers are used to treat bronchitis, eye sores and to cool the body. 13. The fruit is also used as a tonic and laxative, and for the treatment of bleeding gums. 14. It is used to prevent and treat scurvy. 15. Use of the plant in treating malaria also finds mention in few reports. 16. Guava leaf tea is commonly used as a medicine against gastroenteritis (dysentry) and child digestion.

Nutritions Informations of Guava:

Guava fruit today is considered minor in terms of commercial world trade but is widely grown in the tropics, enriching the diet of hundreds of millions of people in the tropics of the world. Guava has spread widely throughout the tropics because it thrives in a variety of soils, propagates easily, and bears fruit relatively quickly. Guavas are an astronomically excellent source of vitamin C, with one fruit providing over 200% of the daily requirement. They are also a very good source of vitamin A, folate, potassium, magnesium and copper. Guavas contain good amounts of phytonutrients, including carotenoids andpolyphenols, which can protect cells from damage, lower risk of cardiovascular disease and provide other health benefits. The health benefits of guava include diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, cough, cold, skin care, high blood pressure, weight loss, scurvy, etc. Many of you might have tasted this mouth-watering treat, or at least have seen it or heard about it. Guava is very common in Asian countries. It is a good looking pear shaped or round shaped seasonal fruit, light green or yellow or maroon in color from outside when ripe, with white or maroon flesh and lots of small hard seeds enveloping very soft and sweet pulp. It is eaten raw (ripe or semiripe) or in form of jams and jellies. This attractive fruit is a real storehouse of nutrients. If it is An apple a day keeps the doctor away in Europe and Americas, it must be A few guavas in the season keeps the doctor away for the whole year in the Indian Subcontinent and places where guavas grow. Its scientific name is Psidium Guajava. Lycopene in guava reduces the risk of cancer,Guava controls diabetes and it is good for constipation.The decoction of leaves of guava is a good remedy for cough and throat pain.Chew the leaves of guava after washing thoroughly to get relief from toothache.